I used to beg my grandma to make her special creamy tortellini pasta whenever she would come around for a visit.
It has been the best tortellini pasta I have ever tasted to this day. And now, I have her ricotta tortellini recipe in my grasp.
I make it every now and then for my kids, and they absolutely love it. It is perfectly creamy, cheesy, and the best kind of comfort food.
You can recreate this spinach tortellini recipe in under 30 minutes. I guarantee you that you will fall in love with the rich garlic parmesan sauce.
It is perfect for weeknights, and the ingredients are pretty simple for the big flavor it can produce.
Today, I will share this creamy tortellini recipe with you and tell you all there is to know about the pasta.
Why You’ll Love This Creamy Tortellini Pasta
- The recipe makes creamy tortellini pasta.
- It is best for weeknights.
- You can make it in under 30 minutes.
- The garlic parmesan sauce is easy to make.
- It is made with simple ingredients.
What Is Ricotta and Spinach Tortellini?
Ricotta and spinach tortellini is a ring-shaped pasta. It is a traditional Italian filled pasta shaped like belly buttons.
This creamy spinach tortellini variety has a smooth blend of mild ricotta cheese and tender spinach. The ricotta cheese adds a luxurious richness while the spinach gives you a fresh, slightly savory flavor.
And the delicate filling of this easy tortellini pasta actually pairs beautifully with a creamy Parmesan and garlic sauce, as the savory garlic and sharp Parmesan can balance the mild, velvety inside without overpowering it.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Spinach Tortellini Pasta: This rich, creamy tortellini pasta recipe is nothing without spinach tortellini pasta. Make sure you always use fresh tortellini for this recipe.
- Salt: To balance the seasoning.
- Reserve pasta water: This adds to the creaminess of the tortellini in cream sauce.
- Olive Oil:To keep the pasta moist.
- Butter:It gives the creamy pasta recipe a buttery richness.
- Minced Onion: Adds to the flavor.
- Minced Garlic: Gives the pasta a savory flavor profile.
- Chili Flakes: Adds heat to the spinach ricotta tortellini.
- Oregano: No Italian pasta is complete without oregano.
- Tomato Paste: Adds a savory tomato flavor to the Italian pasta recipe.
- Heavy Cream: Makes for a creamy garlic sauce.
- Basil Leaves: Fresh basil leaves can add earthy notes to the pasta.
- Parmesan Cheese: Makes the Parmesan cream sauce thick and creamy.
- Black Pepper: Gives the pasta a kick.
Tips for the Creamiest Tortellini Pasta
- Always use grated Parmesan cheese to make this easy pasta dinner instead of shredded cheese.
- Make sure you use heavy cream because it has a high fat content that naturally resists curdling.
- Always make sure you add some of the pasta water back into the sauce.
What to Serve With Creamy Tortellini Pasta
- You can serve this cheesy tortellini with bread.
- Make a Caesar salad to serve with the pasta.
- You can roast garlic broccoli or asparagus to have with the pasta.
- Grilled chicken breast goes well with this pasta.
Storage & Reheating
- You can keep the pasta in the refrigerator to store it, and it will store well for up to 3 to 4 days.
- Before storing the leftover ricotta and spinach filling pasta in the refrigerator, just make sure you put it in an airtight plastic container.
- You can reheat the refrigerated pasta in the oven or the microwave after splashing a bit of milk or broth on it. You can also reheat in a skillet n low heat.
- If you want to freeze the leftover pasta, you can. In this case, make sure you put it in an airtight, freezer-safe plastic container.
- To reheat the frozen pasta, you need to thaw it first in the refrigerator or at room temperature. Then, mix in a bit of milk or broth and put it in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit or 175 degrees Celcius.
Creamy Tortellini Pasta with Ricotta, Spinach & Garlic Parmesan Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp / 18 g Salt
- 250 grams / 0.55 lb Ricotta Spinach Tortellini
- ½ cup / 118 ml Reserved Pasta Water
- 1 tbsp / 15 ml Olive Oil
- 1 tbsp / 15 ml Butter
- ½ medium-sized Minced Onion
- 3 cloves Minced Garlic
- ½ tsp / 1 g Chili Flakes
- 1 tsp / 2 g Oregano
- 1 tbsp / 16 g Tomato Paste
- 1 cup / 250 ml Heavy Cream
- 10-12 Basil Leaves
- ½ cup / 50 g Parmesan Cheese
- 2-3 pinch / 0.2 g Salt
- ¼ tsp / 0.5 g Black Pepper
Equipments
- Saucepan
Instructions
Prepare the Pasta
- Add salt to the boiling water, then add the ricotta spinach tortellini and boil for 3 minutes.
- Reserve ½ cup of pasta water and wash and drain the pasta.
Make the Sauce and Add the Pasta
- Place a skillet on the stovetop on medium heat
- Add olive oil, butter, and medium-sized minced onion and cook for 1-2 minutes until softened.
- Then add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Add chilli flakes, oregano, and tomato paste, then fry for 30 more seconds.
- Cook the sauce until it begins to thicken after adding the heavy cream.
- Add basil leaves, Parmesan cheese, a little reserved pasta water, salt, and black pepper.
- Now, add the tortellini pasta and gently toss to mix.
Serve and Enjoy
- Serve the pasta on a plate.
- Garnish with cilantro or parsley.
Video
Common Mistakes & Troubleshooting
The Cream Sauce Separates or Becomes Oily
- It means you heated the cream sauce over high heat or reheated it too quickly.
- In this case, you should always make sure you cook and reheat the garlic Parmesan sauce on low to medium-low heat. If it splits, remove it from the heat immediately and whisk in a bit of warm milk or pasta water.
The Tortellini Explodes or Turns Mushy
- You boiled the tortellini at an aggressive, rolling boil, or overcooked it, which is why the cheese-filled pasta is mushy, or the tender tortellini exploded.
- So to fix it, make sure you cook the tortellini in a gentle simmer, not a violent boil. Also, reduce the box cooking time by 1 to 2 minutes because the pasta finishes cooking and absorbs sauce when tossed in the skillet or pan.
The Sauce is Bland or Muted
- If you rely only on the cream and cheese without balancing the fats with acidity or aromatics, your quick weeknight dinner will come out completely bland.
- To fix it, you need to sauté your garlic in butter before adding the cream to release the flavors. You should finish the pasta with cream sauce with a bit of lemon juice or a pinch of red pepper flakes to cut through the heavy richness.
The Dish is Dry and Gloop-Like
- Here, your mistake must be turning the creamy pasta sauce into a thick paste because the tortellini absorbs the liquid quickly.
- You should always reserve a bit of pasta water before draining your tortellini. Then, you can splash the water into the skillet a little at a time to loosen the sauce to a glossy consistency, and you will get a restaurant-quality skillet tortellini.
Recipe FAQs
Can I use another type of tortellini?
Yes, you can use any other type of tortellini you want. But ricotta and spinach tortellini is the best option.
Can I use milk instead of heavy cream?
Yes, you can use milk instead of heavy cream, but the pasta sauce will not be as thick and creamy.
Can I add vegetables to creamy tortellini?
Yes, you can absolutely add vegetables to your creamy tortellini.
Can I add chicken to ricotta and spinach tortellini?
Yes, adding chicken to your ricotta and spinach tortellini is a great idea.
Leave a Reply